Some times Planetary Pilgrims are like Kilroy, who was here first!

My daughter suggested that the title of this blog should be "Myrta Is Here", rather than "Myrta Was Here". Why  do I use Myrta "was" here? Is this an indication that I have given up, and am thinking of myself in the past tense? Indeed not!

Who was Kilroy? He is part of the legendary history of the American soldiers during the Second World War. Kilroy worked in a factory, and part of his job was to count rivets. At the end of each counting shift, Kilroy would place a check mark, indicating how much had been produced. He also signed his name and used the graphic "Kilroy was here" to make sure that workers would not falsely report more production in order to make more money.

As time wore on, Kilroy's signature and graphic remained on the equipment and made its way to battlefields all over the world. Soldiers all over the world would run into his famous mark. Many soldiers then got in the habit of writing Kilroy's name and note on walls, tanks, planes.

Everywhere, soldiers were discovering that they were not alone, that Kilroy had already "been there" before them. It was a comforting note that assured them that they would finally prevail in the war.

Kilroy's name and signature, together with the graphic, has become a classic reminder that we are not alone, that Kilroy has indeed already been there. That we might just be safer because of it.

And so it is as a reminder of that piece of the history of my time, and as an expression of hope and encouragement to others who might be going through breast cancer, that I have chosen "Myrta Was Here" as the title for this blog. Just as I am not alone, you need not be alone either. Thanks to the Eternal power that is loving, creative and everlasting, "Kilroy was here" and we can keep hoping and going forward.



I must be going, but I will see you around, surely, with Kilroy, on the road to Santiago.